Helpful Resources

Body Image Peer Education

Starting the Conversation about Healthy Body Image...

Eating disorders can impact up to 20% of college students. Many more students struggle
with feeling good about their appearance and bodies. This peer education program is
designed to help students become educators for the Towson community about eating disorders
and to assist in improving the body image of our students.

General Information about the Body Image Peer Education Program

What type of training do students in the bipe program receive?

Those who are interested in being members of BIPE must be working on having healthy
relationships with food and their bodies in order to be good role models for Towson
students. A series of online modules are general, and in-person training sessions
are offered once per semester as well. During the training, students are asked to
examine their own beliefs about food and weight issues.

Topics covered in training:

The causes and consequences of eating disorders.

The influence of the media in the development of body image and eating issues.

Warning signs of eating disorders

How to talk to friends with eating disorders and/or body image

Ways to have a better relationship with food and body

What activities are students in bipe engaged in?

Classrooms / Student Group Meetings:

Deliver presentations on body image and eating disorders.

Receive training in several different interactive programs and students generate new
programs based on the needs of the campus.

Tabling Outreach / Events / Other Campaigns:

Organizing and assisting with tabling outreach.

Planning and running interactive games.

Organizing, assisting, and running campus and digital campaigns.

Students engaged in BIPE can also expect to:

Assist staff members in delivering programs to the larger Towson community.

Love Your Tree: This is a poster-making campaign designed to promote messages about body acceptance.
It was developed originally by Julia Anderson, Senior Art Therapist at the Center
for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt. Students create posters to be submitted to
the campaign which promote positive body image and self-esteem.

Body Image 101: This program includes many of the components of Eating Disorders 101 but covers these
issues less thoroughly in order to spend more time discussing body image issues. The
role of the media in the development of body image issues is examined and the costs
of pursuing our culture’s beauty ideal are explored.

Body Image and the Media: Movies, magazines and television give the message that we must look a certain way
to be happy and loved. This message can lead to negative body image, and eating disorders.
In this program the audience learns how to combat these messages and appreciate their
body.

Body Image and Relationships: Does how you view body affect your close relationships? The media leads us to believe
that we must look a certain way to be beautiful and accepted. We also get messages
that we must behave and look certain ways based on our gender and sexuality. But is
this accurate? This workshop includes interactive activities, helping participants
learn ways to improve body image, and question myths our society holds about beauty.

Diet Mythbusting: Tired of trying diets that don’t work? Stop falling for diet lies. This workshop
provides the latest information on diets and how to break out of the obsessed diet
mentality.

Eating Disorders 101: This program explains eating disorders and provides an overview of the different
types of eating disorders. Suggestions for ways to work on body image and food issues
are provided as well as ways to help a friend with an eating disorder. The resources
on campus are also discussed.

Fear Not the Freshman 15: This program works to dispel the myths of the Freshman 15 and provides the audience
with helpful suggestions of ways to be healthy throughout college.

Friends Don’t Let Friends Fat Talk: Do I look fat in this? I wish I was thinner…Students engage in this type of conversation
with each other on a daily basis, often believing that it is harmless to talk this
way. Unfortunately, fat talk is toxic, possibly damaging to body image, food habits,
and relationships with others.

Mirror of My Self: When you look in the mirror, do you acknowledge all of your strengths? Design mirrors
with positive images and statements to combat fat talk. This art activity is aimed
at appreciating the entire you.

Women of Color Weigh In: Join the Body Image Peer Educators for a lively discussion and activities aimed at
understanding the role of the media and culture on body image, exploring issues around
hair texture, skin color and body types.